Chicken Soup with Peppers Recipe

Chicken Soup with Peppers and Crispy Tortilla Strips is a tasty meal by itself and requires only a simple green salad on the side.  A very filling and delicious soup that you can eat as a meal.  We love the bits of Chicken Soup with Peppers and the tortillas strips sprinkled on top along with some cilantro.  Chicken Soup with Peppers is basically a version of Tortilla Soup or Enchilada Soup.

Spanish Tolosna BeansYou will really like the Spanish Tolosna Beans, also know as Alubia de Tolosa. This a bean which is central to the Basque cuisine.  These hearty beans have a distinct coloration ranging from reddish purple to black, with white spots.  The beans are very similar to the classic black bean.

This delicious soup recipe, comments, and photos was shared with my by Karen Calanchini, Food Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA.

 

Chicken Soup with Peppers

 

Chicken Soup with Peppers and Crispy Tortilla Strips Recipe:
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
 
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Southwest
Keyword: Chicken Soup with Peppers and Crispy Tortilla Strips Recipe
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Spanish Tolosna beans, dried*
  • Water (to cook beans in)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Ancho Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Knorr Caldo de Pollo Seasoning**
  • 2 whole chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and cut into bite-size chunks
  • 1/2 large orange bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and cut into bite-size chunks
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles
  • 32 ounces (or more if needed) chicken stock (homemade or a good-quality store bought)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons corn meal
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 3 thick corn tortillas, cut into strips (homemade or a good-quality store bought)
  • Aleppo Pepper (optional)****
  • Sour cream
Garnishes
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, add the dried beans, water (to just cover the beans), and bay leaves.  Bring the dried beans and water to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the beans are almost tender.  Remove from heat, drain off the water and discard; set cooked beans aside.

  2. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika; set aside.

  3. In a large soup pot or Dutch Oven over medium-low heat, add the chicken breasts, chicken stock, and Knorr Caldo de Pollo Seasoning; cook until the chicken will easily shred apart using two forks.  Remove from heat.  Remove the chicken breasts from the stock to a cutting boards; reserve the chicken stock.

  4. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts . Then add the prepared spice mixture and mix well into the shredded chicken; set aside.

    Shredded Cooked Chicken
  5. In the soup pot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.  Add red and orange bell peppers, onion, and garlic; saute only until the mixture becomes fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.

  6. Add the Rotel tomatoes (with juice), reserved chicken stock, 32 ounces chicken stock, tomato paste, cooked beans, and shredded chicken.  Cook for approximately 30 minutes on a low simmer.  Check to see if the beans are completely cooked.

    Sauteed Vegetables
  7. In a small bowl, mix together the corn meal with 1/4 cup hot water until well combine.  Pour this mixture into the soup, stir, and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Check during cooking and stir at least once more.  Taste the soup and add additional seasoning if desired.

  8. Tortilla Strips: Coat a non-stick baking sheet with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray.  Spray a little non-stick cooking spray over the tortilla strips.  Bake at 375 degrees F. until crispy and golden.  NOTE:  Watch carefully, turning once.  Remove from oven.

  9. To Serve:  Place soup in individual soup bowls.  Place prepared tortilla strips on top of the soup.  Serve the garnishes (cilantro leaves, diced avocado, and sour cream) on the side in individual serving bowls.

  10. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Recipe Notes

* If you can not fine Spanish Tolosna Beans, you may substitute cranberry beans, red kidney beans, azuki beans, black beans, or navy beans, if you wish.  Do not soak the Spanish Tolosna Beans prior to cooking.

** Aleppo Pepper - It is a Penzey's Spice product.  It is a coarse deep brick-red color.  A good substitute is a mixture of 4 parts sweet paprika and 1 part cayenne pepper.

Corn Tortillas***  Learn how to make Homemade Corn Tortillas.

**** Caldo de Pollo is a chicken boullion that can be found in the Mexican section of the grocery store.  It has a better flavor than regular boullion.

 

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